Sunday, October 31, 2010

I am assuming that everyone out in the bloggy world is a little bit like me, intensely curious about where their bloggy friends live. I thought I would post a few photos of what we have been up to around the house and show you all of the bits of colour I have managed to sneak in. In the picture above is our new laundry - after years of having a very dark corner of the shed to wash copious amounts of dairy farming clothes, I can tell you now it is almost a joy to switch on the washing machine. Sorry, another photo of my roses starting to bloom - I am obsessed, particularly as a brand new rose comes into flower, I keep running out to see if the petals have unfurled.

I felt I should include the new living room as it begins to settle into the family. Usually the floor is covered centimetres deep with lego.

Past the green stairs and into the dining/kitchen area.

And towards the bathroom and fireplace. I have now run out of tidy areas, as the house becomes more tame I will show other areas too... but for now they shall wallow in their own mess.

Now as to what I have been up to, Jonno and I have been away for a couple of days without the boys. We travelled in the motor home to Hahei Beach which was paradise on earth. We ate too much, read too much and crocheted too much (well me anyway).

When we returned home I found my Claude Monet rose had flowered. I am envisioning huge vases full of stripy roses. Can you imagine!!!

Tomorrow I am leaving all three boys for another couple of days. I am flying down to Christchurch to spend a little bit of time with my big brother before he moves back to Australia. It will be so precious and I will have to make the most of every minute. I hope he doesn't mind if I bring my knitting every where we go though... I would love to work some more on my cardigan while there. Perhaps I could get him to help... maybe not.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The funny brown thing on the left is actually a cake (in case you were wondering) with a cinnamon, sugar and butter drizzling. Perhaps not the most attractive cake but very delicious, especially when eaten still oven warm.

The boys with their cousins setting off for an adventure on the farm. Archie was looking after his cousin Rose (she didn't really need it, I think she just loves the extra attention from her big cousin). Note that Hugo is running at the front - he is NOT going to be left behind...

Archie's first bicycling lesson without training wheels.

And someone little does not want to be left behind.

The weather has been so good over the last few days I am afraid I have been neglecting the blog a little. But there has been sunshine and no wind IN SPRING, IN NEW ZEALAND!!! We have been running around in giddy circles enjoying the long weekend.

Friday, October 22, 2010

We are just all about the rabbits at the moment. My niece and nephew are staying the night and this afternoon I put on 'The Velveteen Rabbit' for them to watch. Is there anything better than actually cuddling a baby rabbit while watching a rabbitty movie?

Goodness only knows what game I have stumbled across here...

And this is what I have been up to in between cuddling Dandelion. I still have a long way to go but it is certainly looking very different to the cheap, white melamine cupboard of a few days ago. More photos will follow.

I have been waiting all day to do a post and now having reached the late afternoon, all of my words have hopped away from me. A few photos will have to do.Have a wonderful weekend, Love Kate xxooxxooxx.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Jonno's parents gave us some of their old family books. Good classics like 'Robin Hood' and boy annuals and comic books with cowboys. The wall paper covering the box used to be on the nursery walls, can you even begin to imagine how wonderful it must have looked.

Yesterday Archie and I made some slime with borax and glue - strangely it reminded me very much of making cheese, just a very different smell...

Jonno rang half way through slime cooking to say he had caught a wild baby rabbit (???) and would I like him to bring it home. Let's just say, it is about time Big Ear's hutch stopped being a memorial and turns back into a working home again.

We put our favourite names into a hat and pulled one out. Archie's choice of Dandelion won. We promised Hugo that next time we 'find' a rabbit we can use his name, Grassy. I might send Jonno out for a little Grassy rabbit now, "Oooooh Jonnooooo.... what are you doing right now?".

Monday, October 18, 2010

Thank you so much to everyone who entered into the greedy for colour birthday give away, the reading list that I have been left with is wonderful and will keep me going for quite a long time to come. I spent a little while writing all of the names down and then drew them out of my favourite bowl while sitting in a warm patch of sunlight. Alison jumped into my hands... Congratulations Alison, could you please email me with your address and pincushion preference.

And now for some other things. Here is another little rabbit I have been working on, someone to be friends with Stanley and my mad, march hare from Amanda.

Still very much in prototype stage but I am thinking a tutu might be necessary.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

I had a friend come over for morning tea yesterday and she bought me a present - can you believe how the wool and the rose shine with all the same colours! My second batch of roses to leave the house - with a little earwig, I do like to share.... I am back onto knitting again, this time a hooded cardigan for myself. It is hard to see from this photo but the navy blue has such an inky depth. It really is the perfect navy (according to my eyes).

It is always such a treat when Jonno doesn't have to work on the weekends.

I am feeling a little tenderised today - in a very good way I had better add. On Friday, the boys had a sleepover with their cousins which meant that Jonno and I could go out for dinner and catch a movie. It was so blissful. The weather was warm and we ate outside the restaurant (at their tables - not the car park) and watched all the bustle of a Friday night. Not everyone stays at home on a Friday night watching D.V.D's, what a revelation.Once we regained custody of the boys, we then went and bought lots of vegetables seedlings (I am not having much luck with seeds this year, apparently they need lots of water - hmmm) and some apple trees and then spent the afternoon making new homes for our leafy friends.

This morning however, it is action stations. Hugo has been invited to a birthday present so I will have to track down the birthday present which I know it lurking somewhere nearby and dress him in something other than pyjamas.

p.s. The give away is being drawn tomorrow so if you would like to enter, click here!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Birthday flowers from my friend Shar... They came in the most gigantic bouquet imaginable and were wrapped up in tulle(which was quickly remade into a flower) and antique cream tissue paper.

And then held together with yards of this beautiful ribbon.

And - Amanda sent me one of her Mad March Hares as part of a rabbit swap. I have to say that photos don't do her justice, the stitching is so intricate down to embroidered flowers on her head and a little lace necklace. As for the colours, Amanda has me pegged and could not have done better. Thank you so much, she (name is still being decided) will be cherished forever!!!

Another reminder of the big give away going on below. This is a pincushion I made this afternoon... remember, the winner is able to choose their pincushion so this one may end up being yours!!!

Monday, October 11, 2010

The birthday girl in new jewellery and new coat from sis-in-law/cousin (Jodie and I married brothers. Can you see the birthday glow??? Who was the Birthday Queen I ask...

Brother-in-law...

Sister -in-law/cousin.

Everybody, thank you so much for your birthday wishes and favourite reads - I am just loving it and thinking it may have to become an annual event. So, if you haven't, please enter the big give away below... it's worth it.

Last night was a big family dinner which was made even more fun by the addition of moustache straws, a project taken from one of my new birthday books, 'Paper + Craft'. Over the next few days I will try and fit in a little review of my new books.

Tonight is the finale to Kate's birthday festival, dinner with a few girls at a wonderful Indian Restaurant in town... is it weired to take in my own decorations... am I just getting a little too into it?

Once again, thank you so much for your comments, they helped to make my day so special.

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About Me

I am an Australian living in New Zealand with my husband Jonno and children Archie and Hugo on a harbourside dairy farm. My great aunt and uncle taught me to embroider when I was eight and I have been obsessed with fabric and thread ever since. I now crochet, knit, paint, sew, print fabric, embroider, write and all sorts of other things that raises seratonin. I am also lucky enough to design projects for Simply Crochet UK . Thanks for stopping by!